Some recent Pictures

Necks Horny Toads Waiting PatientlyOreo face at the Rodeo (or as Nate says "Radio")

Football Boy

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UPDATe

Painter comes tomorrow and carpet is laid on THURSDAY. This day, Thursday October 1st is the first day of the rest of my life.
No more painted subfloor anywhere
Kids can invite their friends over
No more excuses why the family party can't be at our house.
No more excuses why the flower beds aren't weeded.
Much less dust
No blue paint on the light switches
No more children assuming chaos is the norm and perpetuating it.
Finally being able to get a leg up on other honey-do's like washing windows, etc.
No more putting off a shower because there are strange men in my house
No more worker-guys for Nate to bother
Room in my garage.
I AM TRULY LOOKING FORWARD TO THE NEW NORMAL :)

GOOD THINGS

In the interest of channeling my inner Martha Stewart, I've decided to compile a list of my own "Good Things". For the unintiated, good things are items, projects, habits that make life just a little more pleasant in the use of them.

*Reading cookbooks and pretending that I might actually, someday make the new stuff. With this, of course, comes a delusional thought/hope that my family might like it. Unlikely.

*Blue Clear Bic Stics-- The only other pen that comes close in flow are the pink pens from the Eye doctor. The blue and green ones that are the same brand are inferior.

*Uniball-micro roller-- Is it strange to have such a love for pens. The micro-roller is especially good for doodling, drawing, etc. on the margins of notes and for making up monograms-- a hobby of mine.

*Fiskars small paper cutter: I own a large paper cutter. It can cut many sheets of paper with one pass. I never use it. Enter, though, the little 8 1/2 in. one that I use for absolutely everything from scrapbooking to fliers. A very useful tool.

* Graco Bouncy Seat w/ vibration and toys: for obvious reasons this little bugger is a real sanity saver. But be careful. Overuse can result in delayed development-- just ask Nate's physical therapist whose first words when she walked in my house were: "Throw it outside and Step away. The bouncy seat is NOT your friend." Ummmmm-- Yes it was. And is again.

* vaseline--when running, this substance protects from chafing, blisters, etc. Lifesaving, even.

* Mr. Clean Magic Eraser.-- Any mom whose ever had a budding van Gogh in their midst can appreciate this little sucker removing pen, pencil and every other art medium off of walls. + lots of other uses.

*Advil-- Ibuprofen is what the doctors were talking about when they said "take two and call me in the morning". 4-600 mg. always seems to cure what ails me. Except when I have a migraine in which case the miracle is Excedrin. I haven't got much use for tylenol, except when nursing the kids. Advil will even usually do the trick for me post-surgery, baby, etc.

*HP5700 Series printer/copier/scanner. When I got my first all-in-one, Rob thought it was excessive. No longer. We copy financial records at home, I can make things up for the kids to do at home. I can't begin to tell you how useful it is to have the scanner and copier features. I have never been able to figure out the fax feature but it matters not. The time and energy I have saved in having this has more than paid for its relatively inexpensive price.

*IPOD: Music is such a part of my life's experience. I love having all of it at my fingertips. So be it a country, or pop, or broadway day, with the click of a button I am transported. Priceless.

*Library card: I'll admit that since the proliferation of my children I have been somewhat remiss in my library attendance. I am known for the late fees I owe as my visitations are sporadic and undisciplined. But a library is a heavenly building. In my alternate life I would probably choose to be Rahni (librarian at East High, I believe) handing out the best books to teens and watching them get excited about the amazing literature out there. I don't think I could work in a book store for two reasons-- I'd spend my paycheck in the store before I ever walked out the door and 2. I would just like to give away books as a gift to people who walk in the door. Anyway, libraries are some of my favorite places.

WOW, this is a way long post but I guess it just shows me how many amazing little things I have to be grateful for, in addition to all the big things.

This is a test, only a test.

This is a new post to see if Facebook will still get my RSS feeds even though I've gone private.

Cursed by the Remodel Gods

Do ya ever feel just a little cursed? Like there is some cosmic thing out there that just does not want you to finish a project or get something done? This is just so in the case of my remodel. The first incident happened months ago. Having ordered tile from the sample in the showroom, our tilesetter laid down what was delivered by the tile company. I took children to school, etc, etc. and when I came back, was shocked to see that the tile was nothing like we ordered. Long story short the beautiful-but-matching-nothing tile was removed, new tile paid for (by US) and the result is perfect we love it. But lots of frustration, especially at the tile company for sending us a completely different tile than we ordered, and then not standing behind their mistake.
Today, while the hardwood floor layers (we finally have given up on trade boy and are just paying people to do these last little jobs. It's almost not worth their time to come in to finish it all up, but a job's a job, I guess.) were laying the floor, they noticed that 7 of the 25 boxes were the wrong color. Luckily, this time the worker-guys (Nate's name for all the new friends he's been making this year) noticed a problem, and went to bat with the supplier. So half our hardwood is laid. YEA. Glass half full, room half done, glass half full (my remodel mantra)
Anyway, last straw: Rob was installing bathroom lights and is missing 2 Essential parts sets. We've looked everywhere. IT'll take at least a couple of weeks to get in these screws. Lights half done, glass half full.
Cursed, I tell you. Cursed!

Oh YEAH!

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4 miles

4 miles in 56 minutes is only a 14 minute mile. BUT, the first 3 were 15-minute miles so that puts the last mile at 11 minutes. Not bad if I do say so myself. Maybe I will get my groove back after all.

GOING PRIVATE

Dear Friends and Family. I love that you read my blog. I've linked my blog to facebook, so all friends should be able to find it. Recently, though, I've been concerned with the dangers of having my children's pictures, etc. available on the internet for viewing so at the end of next week, I will be changing my blog to a "by invitation only" blog. I know this is a little inconvenient, but I just think it's something I need to do for the safety of my kids. Everyone who wants to read it need only send me a facebook e-mail message so I have your e-mail (still working from Rob's Laptop which has HIS contacts, not mine). Thanks. If you don't read it, ignore this message:)

JUST WONDERING:. . . .. . .

. . . . If I'm the only one who didn't know BYU was playing Oklahoma and won
. . . . Why, to borrow a phrase from cousin Renae, I'm so stinkin' blessed to have been in the room when a fan combusted in my house-- could've been when I was gone, or the kids were alone, etc. Instead-- everybody's safe, fire is contained within seconds and no damage to anything but the fan. pretty sure I don't deserve it.
. . . . why Bentley is such an angel in public and such a pill at home? So not useful for eliciting sympathy.
. . . . When did my children start growing up so much?
. . . . When will J.R. Bring my office cabinets-- if ever?
. . . . Why some people refuse to join facebook-- Even with me as their only friend. :) THis is for You, R.J.-- Since you're such a loyal reader :)
. . . . Why I didn't appreciate my extended family as much when I lived near them.
. . . . Can you overdose on dark chocolate and almonds?
. . . . Which book should I read next seeing as my sit-and-focus time is as rare as Bentley sitting quiet and alert?
. . . . What was I supposed to bring to the Bayles' cabin?
. . . . When will my house be finished?
. . . . Am I overfeeding this kid or is he just HUNGRY?

Anyway, just wondering.